Grow Reach Heal - Minnesota Conference of The UMC2016/missionalreport.pdf · Grow Reach Heal We hope you share this report with people in your congregation to remind them that all

2015-2016 Missional ReportMinnesota Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church

Grow Reach Heal

We hope you share this report with people in your congregation to remind them that all United Methodist churches in Minnesota

are united through shared mission and ministry and to show them what we are accomplishing together. Here are some suggestions

of ways to use/showcase this report:

Table of contentsHow to use this report

l Put a copy out on a table or attached to a bulletin board that’s in a prominent location

l Highlight a few pieces of information or testimonies from the booklet as you report back on the 2016 annual conference session

l Discuss our three gospel imperatives (grow in love of God and neighbor, reach new people, and heal a broken world) in worship while highlighting some of the ways your congregation is living them out and sharing (from the report) ways other churches and our conference are embracing them

l Share information from the report at an adult forum, and use it as an opportunity to discuss how your church can plug into or benefit from our connectional system in new ways

l Share the report the next time you discuss apportionments in order to help your congregation see how their apportioned dollars are used for mission and ministry in Minnesota and beyond

l Share the report with your congregation’s youth, and ask them about their hopes and dreams for the future of the United Methodist Church in Minnesota

2 / Minnesota Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church Missional Report 2015-2016 Minnesota Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church Missional Report 2015-2016 / 3

Minnesota Annual Conference: Who we are 4Scriptural imperatives and Journey Toward Vitality 5

GROW IN LOVE OF GOD AND NEIGHBORSmall groups 6Clergy leadership development 7Lay leadership development 7ELI Project year 1 8Area camps unite 9Youth ministry 10

REACH NEW PEOPLENew models for ministry 11New church-planting leader 12New church starts 12Revitalization processes 13Reach l Renew l Rejoice 13Investing in congregations grants 14Breakthrough workshops 14

HEAL A BROKEN WORLDChurch-school partnership grants 15Refugee response 16Mission trips 16Vietnam partnership 17Apportioned giving 18Conference reserves and investments 18Second-mile giving 19FACT report 19Minnesota United Methodist Foundation 19

Our shared journeyWho we are

We come from churches of all sizes,


64,300We are

350churches across Minnesota.

We are located in cities, large and small,

across the state. This map shows the location

of our churches in relation

to the surrounding population density.

2,140 to 3, 430630 to 2,140190 to 63050 to 19020 to 500 to 20

Minnesota population density /Population per square mile by county

Our Journey Toward Vitality is a strategic road map that outlines the paths we’re taking to achieve our

mission. As a conference, we aim to increase the capacity of the conference, districts, and churches by:

100most of which have average

worship attendance of less than

8

12

12

15

21

23

40

52

55

106

375+

250-374

200-249

170-199

135-169

100-134

75-99

50-74

35-49

1-34

SCRIPTURAL IMPERATIVES: WHAT WE’RE DOING

Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

The Minnesota Annual Conference is focused on three gospel imperatives that help us fulfill this mission:

Reach New People (the Great Commission,

Matthew 28:19-20)

Heal a Broken World (the Great Proclamation,

Luke 4:16-21)

JOURNEY TOWARD VITALITY: HOW WE’RE DOING IT

l Developing missional leadersl Equipping missional congregations

l Extending missional impactl Generating missional resources

While much work remains, there are daily signs of fruitfulness and Holy Spirit breakthroughs across our

conference, some of which are celebrated in this booklet.

United Methodists in about

Grow in Love of God and Neighbor

(the Great Commandment, Matthew 22:37-40)

Minnetonka United Methodist Church has been growing in number for the past few years—and a Natural Church Development survey available through the Minnesota Conference helped Rev. Jeanine Alexander realize several years ago that small groups were a key opportunity for the congregation.

“I’m determined to grow this church deep and wide at the same time,” she said.

During Lent in 2014, 146 people participated in various small groups, all focused on the book If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat.

Since then, Minnetonka UMC has offered a new set of small groups three times each year. Between 150 and 200 people participate in any given “semester”—significant for a church that worships about 280. Each Lent, all small groups read the same book. During the other two semesters, individuals choose between a variety of small groups with different focuses. Alexander has led small groups on Making Sense of the Bible, and topics led by others have included progressive Christianity, grief, and even running.

“There is something about being on a journey with other people and having the support of other people as you’re exploring your own faith,” said Minnetonka UMC member Jen Mein, who has led various small groups. “Small groups provide me with structure and discipline.”

They’re also a place where you can get to know people and share your vulnerability. Mein used to be uncomfortable praying aloud in front of a group, which is something she had to do as a small group leader. Talking about that with her group was helpful to her and prompted other people to share their own vulnerabilities.

LAY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENTIn 2015, a Lay Ministry Action Team formed and designed opportunities

for laity to become equipped to serve in new ways. Since then, the

entry point for all lay servant ministries has been a one-day ministry

discernment retreat. Those who complete it are prepared to serve

their own church in a leadership role. They also have the option to go

through additional training to become certified lay servants (who can

lead in their own local church and others), lay speakers (who can share

God’s word through preaching), or certified lay ministers (who can

be appointed to lead a particular church or ministry within an annual

conference). More and more laity are taking part in these opportunities.

Grow in Love of God and Neighbor

SMALL GROUPS HELP CONGREGATIONS GROW ‘DEEP AND WIDE’

Our work as a conference


“The Clergy Leadership Academy offers me a necessarily long, and sometimes uncomfortable, look at my potential as a leader. Broadly

speaking, self-awareness is at the center of what we do together—that we might go from the Academy confident and equipped to be a facilitator of relationships in our community and local church. The task of the pastor is deep and wide; we are asked to foster relationships be-

tween God and people, in hope that what we share with God would seep into our relationships with those on the left

and right. The Academy offers me the opportunity to consider the gravity and privilege of this call.”

—Rev. Jeremiah Lideen, Uptown Church (Minneapolis)

CLERGY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Clergy Leadership Academy (2015-2016)

13 This clergy peer group program is for clergy to:l reconnect with their passion and purposel explore issues related to heart, courage, and calll help their congregations embrace God-sized dreamsparticipants

5retreats

20new clergy

5seasoned clergy

Participants

5mentors

5 retreats each year3-year program

Year 1: Leadership

style and strengths

Year 2: Building

leadership capacity

Year 3: Practices of fruitful

congregations

Leo Lambert Jr. has always loved reading scripture during worship and looks forward to the week when it’s his turn to serve as a lector. He took a certified lay speaker class in November 2015 out of a desire to better serve in this capacity

at his own church, Asbury United Methodist in Duluth. But he now feels equipped to do even

more, having learned about preparing an impactful sermon and then been able to practice doing just that. “It gave me a real appreciation for what pastors do and helped me on my path to Christ,” he said. Lambert completed the certification process and would love to preach at any church that invites him. “Sometimes hearing about God and Jesus from someone other than your minister gives you different eyes,” he said. “Bringing God’s word to some new people would be meaningful. If I could touch even one person, I’d be happy.”

2015 First quarter of 2016

Completed ministry discernment retreat

Became certified lay speaker

Completed advanced lay servant class

33 21

23 20

92 30Like Minnetonka UMC, Hilltop United Methodist

Church in Mankato also started small groups—which the church calls “Connect Groups”—in 2014. It offers 12 different groups three times a year, and topics have included grace, forgiveness, and the Old Testament. There’s always a four-week “Common Ground” class that’s especially relevant to new members, as it explores scripture, The United Methodist Church, and how to become more involved in the life of the congregation.

All connect groups include prayer and some type of learning, and there are options for people at all places in their faith journey. Stacy Vanderwerf, who started Hilltop’s Connect Groups, said one of the key benefits is that visitors have a way to get plugged in right away.

“The body of Christ is a gift from God to us to feel that connection,” she said.

Connect Groups have also helped Hilltop UMC maintain a family feel even as it grows, because

they give people a way to get to know and care for each other in a more intimate setting. The church worships about 195, and between 105 and 125 are in Connect Groups in a given semester.

Both Alexander and Vanderwerf read the book Activate to help them figure out how to set up small groups, and they say two of the keys to successful small groups

are having them span a fixed period of time (theirs range from four to 13 weeks)

and having the right number of people (somewhere around 15 works well). They also

say it’s important to have lay people involved—not just as participants, but as leaders. Both churches actively seek out leaders and equip them by providing training.

Both Minnetonka UMC and Hilltop UMC are looking to expand on their current efforts. Minnetonka UMC is going through the Missional Church Consultation Initiative revitalization process, and one of its prescriptions is to create small groups around a discipleship path—meaning there are classes everyone takes based on where they are in their spiritual growth. Meanwhile, Hilltop UMC is looking at developing class meetings—ongoing covenant groups that people would be invited to join in addition to their small groups.

“Connect Groups have helped deepen our connection to one another,” said Vanderwerf. “When we are more connected to one another, it affects the way we worship together…there’s a sweeter, richer experience when we’re connected to the people around us.”

Soul Leaders (2016-2017)

“The ELI Project is a great way to tap into the knowledge of people

who are in ministry to see where you can fit. I know I want to be a pastor. I’m not sure in what capacity

or what shape that…congregation might be in,

but I know I want to lead a group of people in the name of Jesus.”

—David Hodd, 2015 intern (after his internship, he became director of youth ministry at Spirit of Hope UMC in Golden Valley)

Our work as a conference Our work as a conference


THE ELI PROJECT

Interning Hastings UMC with Rev. Chris Kneen

University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire

Woodbury Peaceful Grove UMC

Home church

Ellen Bialka

Detroit Lakes UMC with Rev. Brenda North

Hamline University (St. Paul)

Wesley UMC (Winona)

Walker Brault

New City Church (Minneapolis) with Rev. Tyler Sit

St. Olaf College (Northfield)

Harvard- Epworth UMC (Cambridge, MA)

Peter Constantian

Living Spirit UMC (Minneapolis) with Rev. Donna Dempewolf

College of St. Benedict (St. Joseph)

Woodbury Peaceful Grove UMC

Isabelle Davies

Christ UMC (Maplewood) with Rev. Rachael Warner

Ridgewater College (Willmar)

St. Aloysius Catholic Church (Olivia)

Jonathan Garcia

Richfield UMC with Rev. Pam Serdar

Winona State University

Blaine UMC

Cameron Lornston

Wesley UMC (Winona) with Rev. Dale Arendt

Garrett-Evangelical Theological Semi-nary (Evanston, IL)

Emmanuel UMC (Evanston, IL)

Sherwin Parmar

School

2016 interns

“This internship has solidified my desire to be a pastor. I want to be able to share God’s love that I feel so strongly and be able to help others see that God is still relevant. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”—Lee Miller, 2015 intern (he is starting seminary at Duke Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina)

8Participants in 2015

7Participants in 2016

All 2016 interns are paired with a clergy mentor and have the opportunity to:

Preach and/or lead a

Bible study or devotional

Plan worship

Be involved in a social justice

or outreach ministry

Observe leadership

governance at a host site

Provide pastoral

care

AREA CAMPS UNITE Each conference has three primary camp sites. People from both conferences now have double the number of camps to choose from when making plans to spend time apart in God’s creation.

Camping by the numbers

People attending camp

2015

2014

Churches that sent kids to camp

2015

2014

Camperships (camp scholarships) given to families so they could send their kids to camp

2015:

2014:

The Minnesota camping program ended 2015 in the black for the first time in many years, meaning it has become a financially self-sustaining ministry.

In early 2016, the Dakotas and Minnesota Conferences’ camp and retreat ministries came

together and formed an area-wide council. This arrangement expands the camping-related

offerings for each conference and allows the conferences to share best practices to create the

strongest possible area camp and retreat ministry.

1,5631,503

150158

184164

The Exploring Leadership Internship (ELI) Project, now in its second year, is an internship program for college

students exploring a call to vocational ministry. Each intern is paired with a clergy mentor, spends eight weeks

gaining hands-on experience, and receives a $3,000 stipend.

KowakanAdventures

Northern PinesCamp

KoronisMinistries

WesleyAcresCamp

LakePoinsettCamp

Storm Mountain Camp

Dakotas/Minnesota Camp Council Area Director of Camping & Retreats, Keith Shew

The director at each camp will form his or her own site advisory team. The people on these teams will serve as champions for their site, provide advice and

wisdom to the director, and help accomplish the goals of the camp.

Camps

Site Advisory Teams

Mergers and new ministry models are helping several rural churches in the conference to reimagine their futures and “be” church in a new way—and they are simultaneously infusing once-dwindling congregations with a new vitality. The Minnesota Conference has come alongside these churches by providing coaches and consultation. Here are stories of three of them:

Cornerstone UMC

Visit Cornerstone United Methodist Church in Marshall, and it’s clear the congregation is vibrant and full of energy. It’s growing in number. It has a strong mission statement. It has new outreach, communication, and other ministry teams to help it fulfill its vision to reach younger families.

It’s almost hard to believe that it’s the product of two churches that used to be struggling. A few years ago, Wesley United Methodist Church and Albright United Methodist Church both found themselves declining in attendance, and Albright was struggling to make ends meet financially. The two Marshall churches were already combining efforts for Wednesday night children’s ministries and had the same youth pastor—so they made the bold decision to merge in the hopes that together they would become a stronger church better able to serve the community.

That’s exactly what’s happened. Cornerstone now worships 150 to 200 each Sunday and is poised to launch a second worship service and expand its space.

Wesley UMC & First Presbyterian (Hibbing)

Wesley United Methodist Church and nearby First Presbyterian Church had shared Vacation Bible School for decades and did a picnic in the park together. Both had been having a hard time keeping the doors open, and they wondered

Our work as a conference Reach New People


YOUTH MINISTRYTwo events gave youth from across the state an opportunity to learn, enjoy fellowship, and grow in their faith:

Confirmation Gathering

Date: March 4-5, 2016

Theme: “Why United Methodist?”

Youth participants:

Churches represented:

Highlights: Exploring United Methodist connectionalism; introduction to committee structure; worship; Cabinet leading youth in exploring United Methodist membership vows: prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness; offering up prayers for 2016 General Conference

Youth at the gathering prayed:

l for a church that has a place for young peoplel that God’s love is available regardless of the “label” a person has been givenl that the work and light of Jesus Christ will shine among alll that God will guide and inspire us to continue on our mission of faithl that as a denomination, we find unity with integrity amid theological differencesl that wisdom, discernment, and justice roll down like waters for alll for people who have become disconnected from Godl that love for God and each other opens all hearts to God’s grace

16230275

31

In their own words:

“We are all made different, but we are all made for a reason. We are made the

way God made us.”

“It’s fun, amazing, God-centered.”

NEW MODELS FOR MINISTRY POISE RURAL CHURCHES FOR GROWTH AND VITALITY

The Event

Date: Nov. 6-8, 2015

Theme: “We are God’s Masterpiece”

Youth participants

Churches represented

Highlights: Boiling Point concert, making blankets for homeless shelter, worship, exploring how to live as a masterpiece and be an active Christian, prayer mosaic

if joining forces would give them a newfound strength. So far, it has.

They started small with some joint events and began sharing a pastor. “As we worshipped together, we figured out that we might be separated by denomination, but really it is the same love of Jesus Christ in both of the congregations,” said Rev. Jim Deters, a Presbyterian pastor who leads the churches.

In recent months, the two churches have been exploring a merger. If they decide to move forward, the merged church would be located in the Wesley UMC building and adhere to United Methodist polity.

“Both congregations are talking about giving everything they have and everything they have known about being church to Christ and becoming something brand new,” said Deters. “It’s a beautiful,

trusting, faithful way to do church.”

Wells UMC & Grace UMC (Kiester)

When Rev. Paul Woolverton, who serves Wells United Methodist Church, learned that Grace United Methodist Church in Kiester had a heart for ministry but was struggling, he asked: “What if we were to work together?”

Wells UMC and Grace UMC are now in the midst of a year-long exploration of what

it would look like to become a rural multi-site church. Woolverton preaches at both sites

each Sunday, and the churches have had several joint gatherings and worship services. They’re also finding ways to work together and share best practices. For example, Wells UMC noticed that taking out several pews to make room for tables and chairs was a big draw for young families and suggested that Grace give it a try too. Additionally, the churches will partner to offer Vacation Bible School in both of their communities this summer—particularly significant for Grace, which hasn’t had Sunday School for many years.

“This offers a whole new opportunity for what it means to be a missional church in a rural area—to come alongside and partner with another congregation toward vitality,” said Woolverton.

In January 2017, the churches will vote on whether to become a multi-site church. Woolverton sees the potential for four or five churches in the area to eventually become part of the same multi-site.

“We’re talking about resurrection and new life across the board,” he said.

In August 2015, the people of St. Croix Valley United Methodist Church in Lakeland voted to give over their building, their identity, and their way of being church to fast-growing Embrace Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, so that Embrace could launch a new campus in their building. They gave up the life of their congregation as they knew it so that resurrection could

happen in their midst. When Embrace opened the doors of its new campus in November 2015 with two worship services, 438 people were in attendance—making it the largest launch of a single United Methodist Church site in Minnesota in recent decades. Embrace is reaching younger generations and sharing the gospel in new ways. “We concentrate on every Sunday being the most important Sunday of the year,” said Rev. Austin Walker, who leads the Lakeland campus. “We want to do anything and everything we can to reach the next person for Jesus.”

Our work as a conference Our work as a conference


Ben Ingebretson, who has extensive church-planting experience, was hired in January as director of new church

development for the Dakotas-Minnesota Area.

His role will involve:

l Identifying and assessing potential church plantersl Creating a strong training and coaching systeml Seeking out areas ripe for new churchesl Walking alongside church planters and congregations ready to birth something new

NEW CHURCH-PLANTING LEADER

“I come with a conviction that churches are best positioned to plant churches…It’s not about what the conference is dreaming for you. It’s about what you’re dreaming for your community.”

“Every church should consider planting at least one church to replace itself and one church for the sake of the kingdom.”

NEW CHURCH STARTS

“God’s driving the vision, but we are there because God uses our eyes, our ears, our hearts, our hands to do the work. If we are faithful to evangelize and we have the mind and patience to plant a church, it’s doable.”

—Rev. Tsuchue Vang, who found-ed Northwest Minneapolis United Methodist Ministry and aims to start another Hmong faith community on the east side of the Twin Cities in 2018

In his own words:

Starting new churches is a proven method of reaching new people for Christ, and the Minnesota Conference’s

Office of Congregational Development is currently supporting 12 new faith communities. New faith communities

must meet context-specific growth benchmarks in order to receive continued funding, and the goal is for each of

them to become self-sustaining. Here’s a look at the 12, based on where they’re at in their lifecycle.

FEASIBILITY: Years 1-2l Centennial UMC multi-site—

St. Anthony Park l Embrace Church—Lakelandl New City Church (Minneapolis)l Northwest Minneapolis United

Methodist Ministry (Hmong ministry, Robbinsdale)

l Rosemount UMC multi-site

VIABILITY: Years 2-5l The Beloved (St. Paul)l Crossroads Church multi-site—

Elko New Marketl Homestead Church restart

(Rochester)l Northern Light Church (Ramsey)l Uptown Church (Minneapolis)

SUSTAINABILITY: Years 5-7l Brooklyn UMC African ministry

(Brooklyn Center)l Crossroads Church

multi-site—Inver Grove Heights

The focus of these processes is on providing resources and strategies to church pastors, staff, laity, and congregations so they in turn will be able to connect people more meaningfully with Christ and become the church God wants them to be in their community.

REVITALIZATION PROCESSESThree processes offered through the conference are geared toward churches that are seeking a fresh

vision, wanting to refresh their strategic plan, eager to become more vital and vibrant, and/or ready to

explore new ways to connect with their mission field.

Processes and churches participating in 2015:

11 14 63 main components:

Learning CoachingConsultation

REACH • RENEW • REJOICEThe Minnesota Conference has spent the past several years working to raise $3.7 million through

Reach • Renew • Rejoice, a capital campaign to start new churches and revitalize existing churches through three

transformational processes. The campaign will enable the conference to start seven new churches, partner with

seven existing churches to launch new sites, and assist 140 churches in revitalizing their ministries over a

seven-year period. Here’s a look at what Reach • Renew • Rejoice has made possible within the

first three of those seven years:

20142015

2016

l The Beloved launched in St. Paull Rosemount UMC initiated expansion

to a second location l 21 churches began a revitalization

process

l New City Church launched in Minneapolis

l Embrace Church out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, started a Twin Cities campus in Lakeland

l 19 churches began a revitalization process

l Northwest Minneapolis United Methodist Ministry (a Hmong faith community) launched in Robbinsdale

l Centennial United Methodist Church in Roseville will launch a second location

l More churches will begin a revitalization process

“Because of the Healthy Church Initiative…we know that, though change is hard, it is fruitful. When it’s done carefully, intentionally, and purposefully, God can get

ahold of new things and use them in ways we never imagined.”

—Rev. Paul Baudhuin, Aldersgate UMC (St. Louis Park)

“Because of the Missional Church Consultation Initiative, we

at Christ UMC know more about who we are and what it is we long to share… We’ve determined that our missional

focus will be around breaking the cycle of poverty, with a focus

on supporting families. Our worship and small group numbers are up. We’re having fun. More leaders are leading, more servants are serving. There is a palpable fizz of possibility in the air. We’re excited to keep the main thing the main thing: Jesus. We want to share his heart.”—Rev. Elizabeth Macaulay, Christ UMC (Rochester)

Missional Journey (smaller churches):

Healthy Church Initiative—HCI (mid-sized churches):

Missional Church Consultation Initiative—MCCI (larger churches):



INVESTING IN CONGREGATIONS GRANTSInvesting in Congregations grants are distributed annually to churches that demonstrate a potential, capacity, and commitment to reach new people, grow in

love of God and neighbor, and heal a broken world. Funding can be used for new ministries, programs, and staff positions. This year’s grants were for initiatives

that ranged from starting a new worship service designed to reach young adults to a rebirth of a children’s ministry to an after-school program.

First United Methodist Church in New Ulm received $20,000 for a homeless shelter called NUMAS House that will provide emergency housing to displaced single-mother families in Brown County, where there’s currently no such shelter. NUMAS House will also offer case management, counseling, and financial, job, and life skills training to mothers so that their children can remain enrolled in New Ulm schools. “These women and their children matter to God,” said Rev. Jo Anne Taylor. “By connecting with these families, and providing not only for their immediate needs but helping them establish a permanent and sustainable residence, our congregation will grow deeper in discipleship as we offer Christ to families in a tangible way.”

30$500-$20,000

awarded to each recipient

$205,250collectively distributed

to all recipients

BREAKTHROUGH WORKSHOPSThree breakthrough workshops available in 2015-2016 were created to provide tools and action steps for reaching people and creating disciples in today’s culture.

The last two workshops were live streamed, meaning that people could participate in person or watch via the Internet. More than 10 groups tuned in to watch each of them from remote locations.

The 2015-2016 workshops were:

Clip in to Accelerate: Moving Your Church Forward FasterDr. Jim Ozier

From Membership to DiscipleshipDr. Phil Maynard

Creative WorshipJason Moore

A team from Cross Roads United Methodist Church in Spicer has attended all three of this year’s workshops. Rev. Torger Johnson said he appreciates the opportunity to learn from experts in the field. “The workshops have affirmed some of the practices we’re already doing and given vision to what we might be able to do next in our own setting,” he said. For example, Cross Roads members are great at greeting vis-itors on Sunday mornings, but the first workshop inspired them to be more intentional about inviting new people to become involved in the life of the church in other ways too. “We’re called to be disciples, and disciples are learners,” said Johnson. “The breakthrough workshops are a wonderful continuing education event.”

When the United Methodist Church of Anoka was invited to partner with the Sheridan Story, leaders knew it presented a key opportunity to reach new families and meet a critical need in the community.

The Sheridan Story has created a network of organizations that send a weekend food supply home with hungry children. Earlier this year, thanks to a $1,200 grant from the Minnesota Conference, the church became part of that network and began supplying food to children at nearby Lincoln Elementary School.

All United Methodist Churches in Minnesota have been encouraged to develop a long-term partnership with a school in their community. Over the past year, more than two dozen churches—including UMC of Anoka—have collectively received nearly $30,000 from the Minnesota Conference in the form of church-school partnership grants to help them form these relationships.

UMC of Anoka’s partnership works like this: The church provides funds to the Sheridan Story, which then buys food, and volunteers from the church pack the food and distribute it to the school. Families can opt into the program and receive a weekend food supply every Friday.

“Our mission is to provide hope for our community,” said Elaine Collison, UMC of Anoka’s outreach chair. “This is part of that. Our church is really committed to fighting hunger. Anything we can do to help meet that basic need is important.”

And needs in the community are great: More than half of the children at Lincoln Elementary receive free or reduced-price lunches.

Heal a Broken World

GRANTS HELP CHURCHES PARTNER WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS

Former Associate Pastor Joelle Anderson said the church will ask other organizations in its community to partner in this ministry and is planning fundraising projects to be able to support this ministry on an ongoing basis. Members gave $1,000 in early 2016 to supplement the grant money and be able to provide food for the remainder of the school year.

“The church sees working with Sheridan as a first step in getting to know the families of Lincoln Elementary to build a relationship and invite them into the church family,” said Anderson. “The hope is that through this ministry, the church can help the

school in other ways.”

Church leaders have had several meetings with the school to find out about other

needs that exist and to explore how the congregation can help address them.

“This is what Jesus did,” said Anderson. “He saw the true needs of people and not only met those needs, but asked them to become followers of him and his teaching, which is to continue to serve others in his name.”

St. Charles United Methodist Church used its grant money to adopt a class at St. Charles Elementary

School, located less than a block from the church building.

Members have demonstrated their support in several ways. They gave the

teacher $100 to use at her discretion, which she spent on a rug for students to sit on.

Additionally, any student who cannot purchase milk for snack time is now given a carton, ensuring that each student has two servings at school each day. To encourage reading, each student in the classroom was given at least four books to take home, read, and share with family. The church also asked the teacher to watch for students who lack weather-appropriate clothing so that it can provide the needed items. And church volunteers assist with small group reading and other classroom activities.

The church is already thinking about additional ways it can support the students and their families. “This is about what God wants us to do as far as being in service to others and those that are different than us,” said Jill Michael, a member of the conference’s Mission Promotion Team, which oversaw the grant program.

churches received a 2015 grant



REFUGEE RESPONSEIn recent months, our global community—and particularly Europe—has been confronted with the largest mass migration of people since World War II. Hundreds

of thousands of displaced persons have poured out of Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and various parts of Africa across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe. In October,

Bishop Ough urged Minnesota congregations to respond to the crisis, and they did so in a variety of ways. Here are two examples:

Arlington Hills UMC in Maplewood is sponsoring a refugee family that came to the United States in March after spending two decades in a refugee camp in Thailand. (Although the family isn’t from Europe, the migrant crisis there has resulted in an influx of refugees to the United States and thus an increased need for assistance for all recent immigrants.) The church met the family at the airport after they arrived, furnished their small St. Paul apartment, and has assisted them with transportation as they get settled. “It’s about being the hands and feet of Jesus in the world we are serving, and it’s a real privilege to be able to do that for a family starting at ground zero,” said Catherine Solheim, a member of the church’s mission team.

Common Ground: A United Methodist Community in

Cambridge is one of many churches that gave to the refugee crisis. A band within the congregation decided

to do a “coffee concert” and encouraged attendees to give

donations that went to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to assist those who were displaced. They raised nearly $3,000. “Part of our mission statement is ‘everyone counts,’” said Rev. Jean Rollin. “If we really are looking around the world, then all of these people who are made homeless or who are running for their lives, they count as well. We take seriously John Wesley’s ‘the world is my parish.’”


VIETNAM PARTNERSHIP

MISSION TRIPS

Donating money: Adopting a refugee family:

Each year, hundreds of Minnesota United Methodists heal a broken world by serving others

domestically and abroad. In 2015, groups from Minnesota worked in a variety of countries

around the world on:

During the past 25 years, Rev. Dennis Glad and his wife, Barb, have led 35 mission teams comprising nearly 1,000 total volunteers to work on 14 Caribbean islands as well as Costa Rica and Belize. Rev. Glad said the words of John 3:16 have fueled their work: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” As a volunteer construction team, the Glads and their crew have built schools, clinics, and churches. They’ve worked on parsonages, orphanages, and playgrounds. They’ve also sewed receiving blankets and bibs, dresses, and skirts. A February 2015 mission trip to Belize marked the final trip they would lead, and their primary project there was helping to build the second story of Belmopan Methodist High School. “We’re getting older, but we still have ‘fire in the belly’ for missions,” said Barb. 29 participants

The Glads’ February 2015 mission trip by the numbers:

15 days $43,044 estimated dollar value of work performed

Schools Medicalassistance

Construction Disaster relief Health kit packing

Farming

In 2014, the Minnesota Conference formed a partnership with Vietnam with the intent to help foster an abundant life for Vietnamese children.

What’s been accomplished to date:

from the 2015 Love Offering was used to pay off a loan for Grace Children’s Center in Ho Chi Minh City

$10,000l Two Advance teams of clergy and laity have visited Vietnam to assess needs

l Relationships have been formed with missionaries working on the ground in Vietnam

What’s next:

l Teams will be invited to go on mission trips to Vietnam to teach Vacation Bible School to children and to work on other projects that benefit young people

l The conference will provide support to lay pastors working to share the gospel through house churches forming across the country

Vietnam snapshot:

Industries: food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building, mining, coal, steel, cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, mobile phones

94,348,835Population

11.3%Population below

poverty line

81%No religious

affiliation

CONFERENCE RESERVES AND INVESTMENTS




APPORTIONED GIVINGMinnesota churches gave generously to the

denomination in 2015, and those gifts enabled life-

changing mission and ministry around the world.

89.1 percent of requested apportionments were remitted (up from 87.1 percent in 2014)

79.1 percent of churches paid 100 percent of their apportioned amount

2015 apportioned budget:

$6M$4.4M

$1.56M

Stays in Minnesota

Goes to general church

Local apportionment dollars go to: l New church startsl Revitalization processes for churchesl Training for clergy and laityl The ELI Project internship programl Soul Leaders clergy retreat seriesl Clergy credentialing, appointments, and supervisionl Administration of pension and health insurance plans for clergy

l Congregational development grants to support new effortsl Conference camping ministryl Access to Christian education tools and resources from the Resource Center for Churches

l Minnesota United Methodist Foundation, which advises churches on stewardship

l Digital, print, and social media that share our work and witness in the world

Global apportionment dollars fund:l Bishopsl General agenciesl Ministerial educationl Denomination-wide efforts like the Black College Fund and Africa University in Zimbabwe

l Global ecumenical efforts

FACT REPORTIn 2015 and early 2016, the Minnesota

Conference worked with the Financial Advisory

Consulting Team (FACT)—a team from the

General Board of Pension and Health Benefits

and the General Council on Finance and

Administration—to explore how we can

better use our resources to be more effective

in ministry. The process, requested by Bishop

Ough, involved private phone interviews and

in-person group discussions with more than

two dozen clergy and laity regarding perceived

strengths and weaknesses in the conference.

The FACT team used the information to make

recommendations, all of which are things the

conference is already working on:

SECOND-MILE GIVINGEvery year, churches give over and above their apportionments to many efforts around the world.

l Developing a common understanding as to how reaching new people connects us with the evangelistic task that is part of our United Methodist DNA

l Increasing use of unrestricted liquid assets for strategic purposes

l Reviewing health benefits programs for conference members

l Incorporating Reach • Renew • Rejoice funds being raised into master plan, and strengthen communication plan tactics to deepen knowledge of and urgency for the initiative

l Set targets for expanding lay leadership throughout the conference

l Align strategy, work force, and volunteer leadership to desired outcomes

l Examine and implement approaches for exiting ineffective clergy

Amount given through the conference to disaster relief, Imagine No Malaria, missionaries, and a wide variety of other ministries and projects

$815,000

Amount given to 2015 Love Offering, which went to Grace Children’s Center in Vietnam, grants to help churches partner with schools, and Volunteers in Mission scholarships

$102,000

l There are three generations of clergy pension and retirement plans being administered by the conference; each is well funded above 100 percent. Retirement and health reserves are at a level that allows them to be used to cover approximately $1.3 million of expenses that used to be apportioned to churches. The operating reserve is funded at a level that meets current requirements.

l Invested funds as of the end of 2015 totaled $58.3 million, down from $59.6 million at the end of 2014. The conference weighted-average investment returns were negative 2.28%, similar to market returns. The conference continues to make socially-responsible investments.

Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS

Photo by Sam Hodges, UMNS

l Stewardship education: “Wesley’s Way With Money,” a conference-wide seminar led by Dr. James Harnish, focused on personal and local-church practices with an emphasis on “Spend, Save, Give.”

l Legacy giving: The Foundation provides education and resources around legacy giving—which can be done through an endowed gift, a charitable gift annuity, or a charitable trust.

l Lilly grant: Thanks to a grant from the Lilly Endowment, the Foundation will join other organizations, including the Dakotas and Minnesota Conferences, to address financial and economic challenges that can impair the ability of pastors to lead congregations effectively.

l Investments: The Foundation’s investment program continues to grow and ended the first quarter of 2016 in the black. Last year saw an increase of 34 new church accounts.

MINNESOTA UNITED METHODIST FOUNDATIONThe Foundation supports churches and agencies in various ways. A few highlights from the past year:

Minnesota Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church122 W. Franklin Ave., Ste. 400, Minneapolis, MN 55404

Bishop Bruce R. Ough

Resident Bishop, Dakotas-Minnesota Area of The United Methodist Church

Documents

Grow Reach Heal - Minnesota Conference of The UMC2016/missionalreport.pdf · Grow Reach Heal We hope you share this report with people in your congregation to remind them that all